Geneva tennis courts move forward

The Geneva Park District is getting closer to building more tennis courts for west-side residents, with the selection of a site Monday night.

Almost all of the district's 20 tennis courts are in parks located east of Randall Road. The district's short-range goal has been to get two more built west of Randall during 2008 or 2009. The next closest courts are at Sterling Manor Park at Sterling Avenue and Lewis Road.

Park district staff have been working for months trying to find a spot in Mill Creek Community Park in the massive Mill Creek subdivision, off Keslinger Road, for the courts. The spot they really liked, however, was in a flood plain. To build the courts there would require elevating the courts and building more detention basins in the park, which would drive up costs.

"There are so many issues to deal with," said Steve Persinger, the district's executive director.

Instead, the park board voted Monday night to put the two courts where the basketball court is, and to move the basketball court over. The tennis courts will be between the basketball court and baseball fields.

"I really want something to start by August," said Persinger. He noted that the district once upon a time had planned to put two courts in at another western subdivision, Settlements of LaFox. But construction of that subdivision has not started as soon as was anticipated.

The district still needs permission from Kane County for its plan, because Mill Creek is unincorporated. The district has not advertised for bids for construction yet.